1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a group communication method using location information of a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a method of group communication and mobile terminal thereof. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for performing group communication functions with communication counterparts (other members of the group) with respect to a specific area by grouping the communication counterparts according to locations using acquired location information.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Pushto service (also known as PT service) includes push-to-talk services for voice (audio) data transmission, push-to-view services for moving picture (video) transmission, and push-to-data services for other types (e.g., text) of data transmission. Such services implement a trunked radio system, which employs a half-duplex system in a mobile terminal to approximate the operation of a walkie-talkie, to enable one client (mobile terminal user) to transmit media data (e.g., “talk” bursts) while establishing a session with at least one other client, i.e., another member of an established group of mobile terminal operators, using a session initiation protocol. Pushto service allows communication with one recipient (one-to-one communication) or communication among a plurality of recipients (one-to-many communication) such as a group “chat” session. Thus, pushto service is a facilitating communication service between a mobile communication network user and a service provider by allowing faster connections and conserving bandwidth resources.
A mobile terminal equipped with a pushto service function as described above periodically updates current information of a contact (group member) list, which is recorded by the mobile terminal itself as a “group,” and enables a group communication function (e.g., a pushto service such as a push-to-talk function) with a specific communication counterpart or with the group. By recording the members of the group in the mobile terminal, the member list can be organized and referenced as a conventional phonebook feature. Current counterpart status information can be displayed via suitable set of icons or text and may include an indication of group member communication enablement, i.e., on line or off line (“idle”), the presence or absence of a busy line (busy signal), individual connection states, and terminal status within the group. Known mobile terminals enabling pushto service, however, have no capability to display information of a current location of a communication counterpart.